Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. News

Rugged Travel: Red Oxx Mfg.

By

If you’re a serious traveler, then you know the worth of good travel bag. Whether you’re a weekend tripper packing a little extra photo gear, or a sky commuter making a weekly NYC to LA trek, staying organized – and looking good while you’re out on the road – is paramount. We stumbled on Red Oxx Mfg. earlier this year, and their line of burly travel luggage has been slowly replacing every other bag we own ever since. Get your hands on one of their carry-ons or packs, and you’ll understand why we won’t fly with anything else.

Recommended Videos

Related: Never Lose Your Luggage | Micro Guide: Stowe, Vermont

Born in 1986, Red Oxx has a legacy of gear design from the special operations community from founder, Jim Markel Sr. After a twenty year career as a Green Beret and Special Forces officer in both the Army and Marine Corps, Jim started tinkering with military surplus parachute rigging webbing. Soon after, Jim Jr., his son, finished a stint with Marine Force Recon and joined his father in designing and building products from military grade fabric. Their focus was, and still is, on American made quality. They have never moved their factory out of Billings, Montana, and every bag is still sewn by hand. The result? Red Oxx bags are some of the toughest, and best looking, pieces of luggage we’ve ever carried. After a few months of hauling ours around, We can’t imagine leaving them behind.

Air Boss $255

The Air Boss if Red Oxx’s best selling carry-on. The first thing we noticed are the zipper pulls. Rather than the typical metal pulls, each Air Boss zipper is equipped with a Monkey Fist knot tied from 550 paracord. These pulls are easier to grip, and also completely silent (a nice touch that kept us from jingling down the concourse on the run when narrowly making a connecting flight). The Main center pouch is padded enough to protect vital electronics, and also lends the bag some structure. Two outer pouches feature internal compression straps, which we found extremely helpful for cinching down garment bags for wrinkle and worry free packing. To top it off, the entire bag body is made from 1000-denier Cordura nylon, ensuring this will be a travel bag that will last for generations. If by chance you find a way to actually damage your bag, Red Oxx’s lifetime are backed by their “No Bull” lifetime warranty.

Packing Cubes $15-25

On the accessories side, the line of Packing Cubes takes organization even further. Each one is color coded according to size, helping you keep track of your clothes, shoes, workout gear, and more. The largest, the Kingfisher, is sized to effortlessly fit in a side pouch of the Air Boss, and the other range in size for different items; we found the Meerkat perfect for packing a weeks worth of socks and underwear, and the Hedgehog kept cords, chargers, and thumbdrives from disappearing. The bottom line? You’re going to want a couple in each size once you discover how indispensable they are.

Nomad Shave Kit $40

We know, you’re wondering just how special a simple dopp kit can be. The answer is in the Nomad’s construction. Using the same Cordura as the Air Boss, as well as over sized #10 YKK Vislon zippers, the Nomad can double work as a shave kit, extra packing cube, or tool kit. We ordered a second one that keeps our greasy bike tools safe in the garage and on roadtrips. It is the first dedicated tool bag that has stood up to harsh desert trails in Moab, UT, as well as being loaded and unloaded constantly with wrenches, sharp tire levers, and chain and spoke tools without issue.

Amanda DePerro
Amanda DePerro
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Amanda DePerro is a Midwest-based freelance writer and journalist who loves video games, gardening, and true crime. She is a… Read Full Bio
Travel
These 2026 island getaways are surging in popularity right now
Sandals St. Lucia Grande

Expedia just released its latest set of data: The 2026 Island Hot List, a trending list that compiles the emerging islands travelers are searching for before they become the next big thing. According to the newExpedia data, interest in these rising island destinations is up 55% on average year-over-year, while social media mentions have climbed 20% as travelers look for new experiences, better value, and fewer crowds. If you ask me, this is pretty surprising to hear it’s up 55%, especially when I thought islands were already one of the most popular year-round travel destinations.

Ranked #1 on Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List is St. Lucia, an island I first fell in love with back in 2023 when I went on my honeymoon there. Once you visit here, it’s pretty easy to see why it’s ranked the best for romantic escapes. This destination has been a popular spot for anniversary and honeymoon trips for a long time now — and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. As travelers move beyond crowded Caribbean hotspots, many are willing to take the extra trek to destinations like St. Lucia for it’s dramatic scenery, romantic resort options like Sugar Beach, and soft adventure focus.

Read more
Travel
Six Senses Rome is a peaceful retreat in a beautifully chaotic city
the lobby at Six Senses Rome

Rome is one of the most visited cities in Europe, and by all accounts, it gets crowded. But considering that it’s one of the world’s most important epicenters for history, culture, food and architecture, we can forgive the crowds. After all, complaining about tourism when you’re a tourist is not the way. But booking yourself a peaceful respite to start and end each day most certainly is.

I chose Six Senses Rome as my home base during a recent four-day trip to the city. The property opened in 2023 in the restored 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini. The historic building sets the tone before you even check in, with restored 600-year-old columns in the main entrance, pale travertine floors, a light-dappled lobby overflowing with greenery, and a massive marble staircase that’s almost comically regal. And its neighbor is the gorgeous San Marcello al Corso Church—so you can start your sightseeing by literally going next door. 

Read more
Travel
5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way
Wood, Hardwood, Accessories

Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.

Read more